1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to computer systems and, in a described embodiment thereof, more particularly relates to multi-purpose bays utilized in computer systems.
2. Description of Related Art
A modern notebook computer is provided with a multi-purpose bay for operatively receiving therein a variety of devices. In general, these devices may include a battery, storage media drives, such as a floppy disk drive, hard disk drive, magneto-optical disk drive, tape drive, etc., and other devices (herein collectively referred to as "multi-purpose devices"). The multi-purpose bay greatly enhances the capabilities of the notebook computer, in particular in that the computer is able to use a variety of devices without requiring a large amount of space in which to mount each of the devices. Where the device used in the multi-purpose bay is a battery, the computer is able to run for longer periods of time on battery power and, when connected to an AC power source, more than one battery may be charged at a time.
Where a multi-purpose bay is provided in a notebook computer, storage media devices may be "hot swappable" in the bay, that is, the devices may be inserted, removed and interchanged without the need for turning off power to the computer. In contrast, a typical desktop, tower, or other non-portable computer does not include the "hot-swappable" storage media devices feature. Thus, while the notebook computer may have internal circuitry which permits hot-swapping of storage media devices, the non-portable computer typically does not include this circuitry.
Other circuitry may be present in a notebook computer which circuitry is not also present in a typical non-portable computer. For example, since the notebook computer is designed to operate on battery power, it may include circuitry which senses the state of charge of the battery, optimizes the rate of battery charging and discharging, etc. A non-portable computer, or any computer system not designed to operate on battery power, may not include this circuitry.
However, it would be very advantageous to be able to used the devices designed for use in a notebook computer multi-purpose bay in other computer systems. For example, a computer user could transfer a large amount of data from a notebook computer to a desktop computer very conveniently by recording the data on a hard disk drive device installed in the notebook computer's multi-purpose bay, and then removing the hard disk drive from the notebook computer and installing it in the desktop computer. As another example, a battery device designed for use in the notebook computer multi-purpose bay could be installed and charged in a docking station equipped with an appropriate multi-purpose bay and the circuitry required to charge the battery.
Unfortunately, desktop computers and other non-portable computer system generally do not include multi-purpose bays. Instead, they are typically provided with one or more conventional half-height bays in which storage media drives may be more or less permanently mounted. Therefore, what is needed is an adapter to convert a conventional half-height bay into a multi-purpose bay. Additionally, since the computer system may or may not include a hot-swappable feature for storage media devices installed therein, the adapter should be usable with both types of systems. Furthermore, since the computer system may or may not include circuitry for charging or discharging a battery device, the adapter should be capable of sue with either type of system.